# Wineador and installing fans



## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

Hi friends,

I'm considering installing a set of fans in my wineador to improve air circulation. My model is the Whynter CHC-251s. Can anyone point me to any good guides for installing the fans? I was thinking about running the power cord through the drain pipe in the back -- it's a USB cable -- anyone know if that will work?


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## Ams417 (May 13, 2016)

Christopher Mays said:


> Hi friends,
> 
> I'm considering installing a set of fans in my wineador to improve air circulation. My model is the Whynter CHC-251s. Can anyone point me to any good guides for installing the fans? I was thinking about running the power cord through the drain pipe in the back -- it's a USB cable -- anyone know if that will work?


Should work fine, it wont take much of a fan to move the air in such a small space. I see many people using a Glad battery powered fan. Nice and simple, seems to work well. I have no additional fan in my Newair. I haven't had the setup long, but I have done mountains of research.


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

I ended up purchasing the fans at MULTIFAN S5, Quiet USB Cooling Fan, Dual 80mm - AC Infinity based on the research I did from this website the last few days. Only question is how best to thread the cords... I know nothing about caulking and sealing, especially a humidor where there is a concern of chemical odor.


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## Ams417 (May 13, 2016)

Christopher Mays said:


> I ended up purchasing the fans at MULTIFAN S5, Quiet USB Cooling Fan, Dual 80mm - AC Infinity based on the research I did from this website the last few days. Only question is how best to thread the cords... I know nothing about caulking and sealing, especially a humidor where there is a concern of chemical odor.


Low temp hot glue. You can remove it later if you need to do so. Just a dab is all you need to seal the drain hole.


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

Ams417 said:


> Low temp hot glue. You can remove it later if you need to do so. Just a dab is all you need to seal the drain hole.


So I run the usb cable through the drain hole and seal it with hot glue?

Someone suggested using duct sealing putty together with silicone caulk


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## Drummerguy1584 (Mar 24, 2016)

I got a blue LED lit PC case fan from fryes electronics for around $10. I used a pair of wire strippers and an old AC power wall wort, ran the wires through my drain hole, soldered the ends together and covered the wire with with heat shrink wrap. then sealed the hole with fast drying clear silicon and let it sit for a day with the door open cause the silicon smells like vinegar. I plugged the wall wort into an analog outlet timer to cycle on and off every 15 minutes. Cheap, easy, looks cool and works well.

Fan:









Inside drain hole:









Outer backside where the wires come out:









Wall wort/outlet timer:









Hope this helps 

The grainy white stuff in the inside is just silica dust from the KL filled media bag I have sitting over the plugged drain hole... This is a must otherwise you will end up with a puddle at the bottom of your wineador.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

No adverse effects from sealing the drain?


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## Drummerguy1584 (Mar 24, 2016)

None at all... Only the puddle as a wineador will naturally do this. Keep a silica (KL or HF beads) filled media bag on top of the sealed drain hole at all times to absorb the moisture... I found out the hard way and thought it would look nice to have a SC floor that I made out of empty cigar boxes sanded down and joined together to cover the entire base of the unit.... It puddled and soaked the wood. Caught it before any mold grew thankfully.


"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


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## TCstr8 (Mar 30, 2016)

The Whynter's drain hole should already be plugged. Mine came plugged.

Have been looking for a battery operated fan to put inside mine, haven't come up with a solution yet. Wanted to avoid unplugging the drain hole and plugging back up, but might have to go that route to get some sort of timer to the fan.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

What about just drilling a small hole in the back and sealing back up with caulk? Is that a viable option?


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

I used the ribbon cable and splitter from a Hydra fan kit and used electrical tape to hide from coming out the front at the bottom...can't see it and it keeps the seal. Three fans, one at the bottom and two (one on each side) mid-way up, bought larger (quieter) fans than those that came with the fan kit. All plugged into a digital timer, runs for 5 minutes at a time, 4 times an hour. Works great.


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

Where did you run the cable then? Out front through the door via the ribbon cable?


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

Yep...I'll take a pic when I get home from work...I may already have some pics somewhere around here


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

Here it is...don't mind the old crusty beads


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

That's great! How many beads do you have in there? I've got over 2 lbs, still seeing a good amount of RH variance.


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

About 5-6 media bags full, can't remember exactly how much in pounds, at least a couple...spread out top to bottom. Between that and all the cedar, it stays pretty stable.


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## Drummerguy1584 (Mar 24, 2016)

Side note: Only reason mine has a drain hole is because it's a converted wine cooler, not one that was made to be an off the store shelf humidor.


"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

Yeah I'm using a Whynter, I think it has a drain hole.


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## Drummerguy1584 (Mar 24, 2016)

Yeah, plug that sucker up! I have a Whynter SNO 16


"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


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## cigaraddict (Dec 24, 2011)

TCstr8 said:


> The Whynter's drain hole should already be plugged. Mine came plugged.
> 
> Have been looking for a battery operated fan to put inside mine, haven't come up with a solution yet. Wanted to avoid unplugging the drain hole and plugging back up, but might have to go that route to get some sort of timer to the fan.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


Someone has already mentioned but the glade fans (have been discontinued for a few years) used to be a crowd favorite a few years ago; you can still find them on eBay pretty cheap.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Drummerguy1584 (Mar 24, 2016)

cigaraddict said:


> Someone has already mentioned but the glade fans (have been discontinued for a few years) used to be a crowd favorite a few years ago; you can still find them on eBay pretty cheap.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I don't even want the chance of a AA or AAA battery leaking battery acid near my stogies! I had looked into those but for me it's too much of a risk and a no brainier to run a PC case fan.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


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## cigaraddict (Dec 24, 2011)

Drummerguy1584 said:


> I don't even want the chance of a AA or AAA battery leaking battery acid near my stogies! I had looked into those but for me it's too much of a rush and a no brainier to run a PC case fan.
> 
> "Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato


Makes sense, nothing wrong with being overly cautious

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

I looked at the drain hole in my Whynter, Regardless of whether the hole is plugged right now, the drain hole is too small for the fans I bought (I bought a set of AC infinity fans, see above). So, it looks like I'm going to need to make a hole. Any advice, tips, or how-to's that anyone can point me to? I have no experience with this sort of thing!


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## TCstr8 (Mar 30, 2016)

Think I'm going to pick up 2 of these and give them a try (read about them somewhere on the interwebs as a solution to circulation in a wineador

Camco Fridge Airator-44123 - The Home Depot


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

Also, does anyone have any tips for where and how to mount the fans? I am getting four fans -- thinking of mounting two at the bottom of the whynter point up and towards the glass, one on the top pointing down, and one on the side perpendicular to where the thermoelectric cooler's fan blows.

I heard cable ties and tie mounts work well -- any other ideas?


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

I'm partial to heavy duty black velcro, makes things nice and neat, and a bit more flexible as far as positioning.


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## Christopher Mays (Aug 16, 2016)

dgold21 said:


> I'm partial to heavy duty black velcro, makes things nice and neat, and a bit more flexible as far as positioning.


How do you use the heave duty black velcro? i.e., where does the velcro go on the fan? On the side?


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## dgold21 (Jul 7, 2007)

Velcro on two adjacent sides, fans mounted in a corner...can angle up or down as needed. My fans have solid sides, at least an inch thick.


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